Word Bird's Services

Manuscript Evaluation

This service provides specific feedback on how to improve the writing, structure, plot, and character development in your manuscript. You will receive a detailed editorial assessment that can serve as your action plan for revision. This service can also help if you already have an agent, but he or she has encouraged you to get outside help making a specific set of changes. We can help you revise your manuscript to meet those goals and get your book out on submission.

Line Editing

This service addresses substantive issues in your work by tackling organization, structure, plot, character development, pacing, and dialogue, as well as providing a full copyedit of the work. Line editing is a more intensive version of the manuscript evaluation listed above, and cleans up your manuscript line by line, word by word.

Copyediting

This service should come after you have completed all substantive revisions on the manuscript. Copyediting clarifies meaning, eliminates jargon, and polishes word choice; it also addresses grammar, usage, spelling, punctuation, and other mechanics of style so that your manuscript will be clean, professional, and ready to submit.

Mentoring

Looking for ongoing help and feedback? We offer eight weekly installments of encouragement, accountability, gentle critique, and publishing advice. By the end of the session, a diligent writer will have written several chapters and know where to go next. Requires submission of ten-page sample for consideration.

Excerpt Edit (first 50 pages / first 3 chapters)

Many agents request a “partial” as part of the submission package. This service provides a line edit (see above) for this excerpt from your manuscript and helps you get it ready to send.

Query Letter Critique

This service helps identify problem areas in your letter and makes suggestions about how to hone your pitch, increasing your chances of snagging an agent.

Query Letter from Scratch

Don’t know where to begin with the dreaded query letter? Let us help! This service begins with the first three chapters of your book and a phone consultation; at the end you’ll have a letter that is ready to send.

Ghostwriting

We have experience ghost writing novels as well as communications for professionals, such as nonfiction books, blog posts, reports, and articles. Let us help you put your best words forward.

Have a project that doesn’t seem to fit any of these categories?

Get in touch. Word Bird occasionally takes on projects at an hourly rate.